Open a Link in a New Window

Sometimes you may want to open a link in a window separate from the already open browser window. One way is to hold down the "Shift" key while clicking the link. Another method is to right-click the link and choose "Open in New Window" from the context menu. You can either click on the menu entry or use the keyboard and enter the letter "n".

Make Internet Explorer Open in the Window Size You Want

Periodically, Internet Explorer (IE) forgets the settings for its window size and decides to open in an annoying small window. If you close all other IE windows that might be open, resize the small window (do not maximize) and then close it, IE is supposed to remember that it was resized when you next open it. But sometimes it goes right ahead and opens in a small window again. In that case, there are several methods to try.

• Resize (with only one window open) and then close by clicking the X in the upper right corner while holding down the Shift key. Often this works but it may not.
• If the above does not work, your next step is to try the two-window method.
  1. Open a single IE window (which is presumably still too small)
  2. Now open a secondary IE window by either right-clicking or shift-clicking
     on any convenient link in the open IE window
  3. Resize this second window to the desired dimensions
  4. Close this resized window by clicking the X in the upper right corner while holding down the Shift key
  5. Resize the still open original window as desired
  6. Close this window by clicking the X in the upper right corner while holding down the Shift key

If you do not mind always having maximized IE windows, another approach is to edit the IE shortcut. Right-click on the shortcut that you use for IE and choose properties in the context menu. In the drop-down menu for "Run" select "Maximized". (Secondary IE windows will not inherit this setting).

JavaScript trick

Even if you do not know anything about JavaScript, there is a useful procedure for controlling IE window size that anybody can use. You can force a particular IE window size with a simple JavaScript command. Enter the following into the IE Address Bar : javascript:resizeTo(800,600); The numbers "800" and "600" are the sizes in pixels of the desired window. You can use whatever size suits your preference. Close the window and hope IE remembers next time.

More recent security restrictions on scripting may block JavaScript commands. See this reference for a work-around.

Keyboard Shortcuts

There are quite a few keyboard shortcuts for IE listed by Microsoft. However, few people will undertake to remember all of them. Still, it may be worthwhile to keep in mind any that could get regular use in your particular pattern of using IE. The table below lists some that I personally find useful. Two keys joined by a "plus" sign indicate that the keys are pressed at the same time. A key denoted by "F" and a number is one of the Function keys.

Returning to Where You Came From

Sometimes you want to go back to a page you visited recently. If the page is not too far back, you can left-click the Back button a few times. However, there is a faster way. Right-click the Back button and a list of your recently visited pages will be shown; you can then choose the one you want. Another way to open a list of your recently visited pages is to click the small triangle that sits between the Back and Forward buttons. If desired, a more extensive list of previously visited pages is in the History function.

Navigating with a Wheel Mouse

If you have a wheel mouse, you can navigate to previously visited pages by using the wheel. Hold down the "Shift" key and turn the wheel up or down to go forward or back. (Works in Firefox, also)

When the Back Button Doesn't Work

Sites that use a lot of frames and page redirects (Microsoft is a prominent example) may cause the back button not to function normally. However, opening a list of your recently visited pages as discussed above will normally let you go back to a previous page.

Mousetrapping

On the other hand, some sites just won’t let you go once you are there. They disable your browser’s Back and Exit functions. Either they will not let you leave or they redirect you to where they want you to go. See this reference for a very persistent but harmless example and some discussion. (Warning: it will take a number of clicks to close the window from this site,) For sites that trap you, the only way out may be to close IE with Taskmanager

Managing IE Favorites

Export Favorites

IE stores Favorites as individual files but often it is desirable to put all the Favorites into a single HTML file. This format facilitates export to a number of other functions, including other browsers. In IE open the "File" menu and choose "Import and Export..." The "Import/Export Wizard" will open. Choose "Export Favorites", pick which export folder (usually the top one) and then where the exported file is to be located. The default choice is to have a file "bookmark.htm" stored in the folder My Documents, which is usually a good enough choice.

Make Favorites your home page

If you have your Favorites in HTML form, you can make that file your home page. If you have arranged the subfolders in the original Favorites folder to have your most often visited sites at the top, you can have quick access to them at the top of your new home page.

Put your Favorites on the Internet

Once you have an HTML file for your favorites, you can upload it to some personal space (many ISPs provide this) or as an attachment to an email, which you can keep at one of the free Web email services. That way you always have access to your favorites no matter what computer you are using.

Make editing Favorites easier

The "Organize Favorites" function in IE is pretty primitive and can be a pain to use. It is much easier instead to open the Favorites folder directly and to do editing functions there. Since IE Favorite are just files, they can be moved, renamed, and deleted in the same way as any group of files. Also, new subfolders can be created for new categories. One way to open the "Favorites" folder in a hurry is to use the Run line. Go to Start|Run and enter "favorites". Another route to the Favorites folder is with the shortcut discussed here. Yet another way to get there is open the "Organize Favorites" menu in IE while holding down the Shift key.

Sort Favorites

Favorites can be alphabetized by right-clicking in the Favorites list and choosing "Sort by Name" from the context menu. (This does not work in the Favorites bar, only in the Favorites menu list.). The next time that you add a favorite, it will be out of alphabetical order, however. To set up automatic alphabetizing, a Registry edit is required. Those who are experienced at editing the Registry can delete the key : HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MenuOrder\Favorites I have also packaged an INF file as an zipped EXE file to do the Registry edit. It can be downloaded here. User accepts all responsibility.

Shorten the names of Favorites

Many Web sites use really long titles for their pages, probably for the purpose of catching search engines. These long titles mean that Favorites can end up with very long file names. Really long file names can lead to problems with backups and other housekeeping procedures.The long file names don't usually make a Favorite any more informative so shorten the name to something usefully descriptive.

Make your favorite sites easily available

IE comes with a special toolbar called "Links" that is a handy place to put the sites that you use most often. Because Microsoft sticks some fairly useless links in here as a default, many people ignore this tool. I always delete all the default links and then put in my most frequently visited sites. To make the Links Toolbar available, go to the IE menu "View-Toolbars" and check "Links".

Put your favorite sites on the Taskbar

If you want more room in IE, you can put the Links toolbar down in the Taskbar instead of at the top of the IE window. The procedure for adding toolbars to the Taskbar is discussed on another page. An entry for the Links Toolbar is already built into the Taskbar properties menu.

Make IE Open Faster

"No home" option

If you prefer to avoid having to wait for your home page to load when you open IE, you can edit the shortcut that you use to start IE. Right-click on the shortcut that you use for IE and choose properties from the context menu. In the entry by "Target", add the switch "-nohome" (without quotes). A typical entry would then read : "C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe" -nohome (Here the quotes are part of the command.) A partial view of the shortcut properties dialog box is shown in the figure below. After IE loads you can go to your home page by clicking the "Home" button or entering the keyboard shortcut Alt+Home.

Partial view of IE shortcut properties dialog

Blank home page option

If you do not insist on always going to a particular home page whenever you open IE, you can use the "Blank" option in the menu Tools-Internet Options. In the Home page section there is a button "Use Blank"..

Check the Freshness of a Web Page's Content

Sometimes you like to know how up-to-date the contents of a Web page are. In some cases authors put information about when a page was updated at the bottom of the page but very often they do not. You can use a short JavaScript command to find out when a page was last updated. While the page is being displayed, type and enter into the Address area:javascript:alert(document.lastModified) A pop-up window will appear with the time and date of the last page update. Note that this information is primarily useful in an indirect way. Many pages contain components such as hit counters that are constantly being updated while most of the page may be static. Thus only a last page update that is older than the present date is really informative. Pages that show the present date and time may actually have mostly content that is quite old.

Repairing or Reinstalling Internet Explorer

IE is bundled with the Windows XP operating system and cannot be removed. However, if IE becomes damaged or corrupted in some way, there is a procedure to repair it with a reinstallation. See this Microsoft reference for some details. The following procedure given by Doug Knox can be used (the Windows CD or I386 folder must be available). Go to Start-Run and enter the line below to run IE Setup: rundll32.exe setupapi,InstallHinfSection DefaultInstall 132 %windir%\Inf\ie.inf If you prefer, Doug Knox also provides a VBS file that will carry out this command.

Setting Font Sizes for Viewing Web Pages

If you find that the text on a Web page is too small to read comfortably, go to the IE menu entry, View-Text Size. There are five settings listed; choose the one best suited for you. If the font sizes have been set to specific pixel settings by the author of the page, this method does not work without an additional step. In that case, go to the Internet Options dialog box (first figure above) and click the button "Accessibility..." in the lower right corner. The dialog box shown below will open. Put a check by "ignore font sizes specified on Web pages".

Configuring fonts with accessibility settings

Setting Font Styles for Viewing Web Pages

Some sites use serif fonts such as Times New Roman. These fonts are better for print but are harder to read on Web pages. If you wish a more Web friendly style of font, you can set IE to display pages using a sans serif font such as Arial. Use the accessibility settings dialog shown in the figure above and check "Ignore font styles specified on Web pages". To choose the font that will be used, go to the Internet Options dialog and click the button "Fonts..." The window shown in the figure below will open. Scroll to the desired font and click "OK".

Fonts

Configuring Internet Explorer Security Settings

A detailed discussion of how to make Internet Explorer safer to use is given on several pages at our sister site Surf the Internet Safely . Specific settings for the various security zones are illustrated in detail.

Tips for Internet Explorer 7

IE7 has a number of new features as well as a somewhat different interface. Tips specific to using IE7 are given on the next page.